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[Display omitted] • Apart from prevalent species, unique fungi (Chaetomium) dominated aerated landfill. • Fungal community structure was correlated to ammonia content in the landfill refuse. • Fungi contributed to the main nitrification (62.71 ∼ 100 %) in the absence of ammonia. • Fungi showed a stronger preference for organic nitrogen as nitrification substrate. • Fungi utilized nitrite for nitrate production with a rate 4.65 mg L−1 d−1 in SALR F. The application of in-situ aeration technology in landfills has been reported to promote fungal growth, but the community diversity and function of fungi in the aerated landfill system remain unknown. This study firstly investigated an in-situ aerated remediation landfill site to characterize the fungal community diversity in refuse. And to further reveal the fungal involvement in the nitrogen cycling system, laboratory-scale simulated aerated landfill reactors were then constructed. The results in the aerated landfill site showed a significant correlation between fungal community structure and ammonia nitrogen content in the refuse. Dominant fungi in the fungal community included commonly found environmental fungi such as Fusarium , Aspergillus , Gibberella , as well as unique fungi in the aerated system like Chaetomium. In the laboratory-scale aerated landfill simulation experiments, the fungal system was constructed using bacterial inhibitor, and nitrogen balance analysis confirmed the significant role of fungal nitrification in the nitrogen cycling process. When ammonia nitrogen was not readily available, fungi converted organic nitrogen to nitrate, serving as the main nitrification mechanism in the system, with a contribution rate ranging from 62.71 % to 100 % of total nitrification. However, when ammonia nitrogen was present in the system, autotrophic nitrification became the main mechanism, and the contribution of fungal nitrification to total nitrification was only 15.96 %. Additionally, fungi were capable of directly utilizing nitrite for nitrate production with a rate of 4.65 mg L−1 d−1. This research article contributes to the understanding of the importance of fungi in the aerated landfill systems, filling a gap in knowledge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nitrogen source assimilation is important for the biological functions of fungi, and its pathway has been deeply studied. Aspergillus oryzae mutants defective in nitrogen source assimilation are known to grow poorly on Czapek-Dox (CD) medium. In this study, we found an industrial strain of A. oryzae that grew very poorly on a CD medium containing sodium nitrate as a nitrogen source. We used media with various nitrogen components to examine the steps affecting the nitrogen source assimilation pathway of this strain. The strain grew well on the CD medium supplied with nitrite salt or ammonium salt, suggesting that the strain was defective in nitrate assimilation step. To ascertain the gene causing the defect of nitrate assimilation, a gene expression vector harboring either niaD or crnA of A. oryzae RIB40 was introduced into the industrial strain. The industrial strain containing the crnA vector recovered its growth. This is the first report that a mutation of crnA causes poor growth on CD medium in an industrial strain of A. oryzae , and crnA can be used as a transformation marker for crnA deficient strains. • An nitrate assimilation mutant was firstly found in industrial Aspergillus oryzae strains. • A vector harboring either wild type niaD or crnA was constructed and introduced. • The industrial strain containing the crnA vector recovered its growth. • Several industrial strains were found to possess the same sequence as mutated crnA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aims of this study were (1) to identify genomic regions associated with a N efficiency index (NEI) and its composition traits and (2) to analyze the functional annotation of identified genomic regions. The NEI included N intake (NINT1), milk true protein N (MTPN1), milk urea N yield (MUNY1) in primiparous cattle, and N intake (NINT2+), milk true protein N (MTPN2+), and milk urea N yield (MUNY2+) in multiparous cattle (2 to 5 parities). The edited data included 1,043,171 records on 342,847 cows distributed in 1,931 herds. The pedigree consisted of 505,125 animals (17,797 males). Data of 565,049 SNPs were available for 6,998 animals included in the pedigree (5,251 females and 1,747 males). The SNP effects were estimated using a single-step genomic BLUP approach. The proportion of the total additive genetic variance explained by windows of 50 consecutive SNPs (with an average size of about 240 kb) was calculated. The top 3 genomic regions explaining the largest rate of the total additive genetic variance of the NEI and its composition traits were selected for candidate gene identification and quantitative trait loci (QTL) annotation. The selected genomic regions explained from 0.17% (MTPN2+) to 0.58% (NEI) of the total additive genetic variance. The largest explanatory genomic regions of NEI, NINT1, NINT2+, MTPN1, MTPN2+, MUNY1, and MUNY2+ were Bos taurus autosome 14 (1.52–2.09 Mb), 26 (9.24–9.66 Mb), 16 (75.41–75.51 Mb), 6 (8.73–88.92 Mb), 6 (8.73–88.92 Mb), 11 (103.26–103.41 Mb), 11 (103.26–103.41 Mb). Based on the literature, gene ontology, Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes, and protein-protein interaction, 16 key candidate genes were identified for NEI and its composition traits, which are mainly expressed in the milk cell, mammary, and liver tissues. The number of enriched QTL related to NEI, NINT1, NINT2+, MTPN1, and MTPN2+ were 41, 6, 4, 11, 36, 32, and 32, respectively, and most of them were related to the milk, health, and production classes. In conclusion, this study identified genomic regions associated with NEI and its composition traits, and identified key candidate genes describing the genetic mechanisms of N use efficiency-related traits. Furthermore, the NEI reflects not only its composition traits but also the interactions among them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, we proposed a two-phase hydrothermal synthesis approach to fabricate high-curvature bulk surface with engineered in-plane defects. Organic or supercritical solvents were introduced as a second immiscible media to alter MoS 2 hydrothermal growth. Two mixing scenarios, depending on the ratio of organic solvent to aqueous solution. In the case of the organic solvent isolated by aqueous solution, the growing slabs change its original direction when getting contact with the organic droplets. In the scenario that aqueous droplets dispersed in organic solvent, MoS 2 slabs grow along the curved interfaces of aqueous droplets. Experimental results showed that the curved basal planes were generated in the two cases and more curvatures were introduced in the second phase under adequate mixing energy. Higher curvature degree led to a better catalytic performance. Compared to decalin, supercritical heptane that can facilitate the dispersion of the precursor-containing aqueous solution into homogeneous nano-size reaction cells, showed a great capacity to generate highly curved slabs. MoS 2 synthesized with supercritical solvent exhibits the highest activity among the investigated catalysts. The catalysts were characterized by SEM, XRD, XAFS, TPR and nitrogen adsorption analysis. The results were proved by the theoretical calculations that the formation energy (E form) of sulfur vacancy (V S) on curly structure possesses a reduction of 0.19 eV comparing with planar MoS 2 monolayer. The curved structure can facilitate the surface V S generation by depopulating the occupied bonding states of corresponding Mo-S bonds. This work provides an effective approach to create basal defects on the MoS 2 to promote its catalyst activity. [Display omitted] • In-plane defects were fabricated by a novel two-phase hydrothermal synthesis. • More defects (curvatures) are created when organic solvent is in majority. • Compared to organic solvent, supercritical solvent generates more curly structure. • The formation energy of sulfur vacancy on curly structure is lower than planar MoS 2. • MoS 2 synthesized with supercritical solvent exhibits the highest activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • A novel Mn-N co-doped biochar for removing BPA (351 mg/g) was prepared. • High specific surface area was helpful to reveal more Mn-N adsorption sites. • The main mechanisms were pore filling, hydrophobic effect and π-π-EDA interaction. • DFT proved that nitrogen configurations and manganese promoted adsorption. A novel porous manganese and nitrogen co-doped biochar (Mn-N@SBC) was synthesized via one-step pyrolysis, utilizing loofah agricultural waste as the precursor and NaHCO 3 as the activator. The behavior of bisphenol A adsorbed on Mn-N@SBC was evaluated using static batch adsorption experiments. Compared to direct manganese-nitrogen co-doping, co-doping based on NaHCO 3 activation significantly increased the specific surface area (231 to 1027 m2·g−1) and adsorption capacity (15 to 351 mg·g−1). Wide pH (2–10) and good resistance to cation/anion, humic acid and actual water demonstrated the robust adaptability of Mn-N@SBC to environmental factors. The significantly reduced specific surface area after adsorption, adverse effects of ethanol and phenanthrene on the removal of bisphenol A, and theoretically predicted interaction sites indicated the primary adsorption mechanisms involved pore filling, hydrophobicity, and π-π-electron-donor–acceptor interaction. This work presented an approach to create high-efficiency adsorbents from agricultural waste, offering theoretical and practical guidance for the removal of pollutants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• MABRs were exposed to different aeration patterns and scouring frequencies. • Oxygen dynamics were analyzed at different depths during intermittent aeration. • Aeration and scouring had a major impact on the oxygen profiles within the biofilms. • N 2 O emissions differed between the different MABR operation strategies. This study investigated the effects of aeration and scouring strategies on the performance of Membrane Aerated Biofilm Reactors (MABRs) and the distribution of oxygen and nitrous oxide in the biofilm. Four flat sheet MABRs were operated with synthetic feed under different conditions: two with intermittent aeration (iMABR) and two with continuous aeration (cMABR). Scouring was induced by bubbling dinitrogen gas through the reactor bulk at low and high frequencies (LF and HF). In the iMABRs, a partial nitritation biofilm initially developed, but the biofilm adapted to the aeration strategy over time and became nitrifying. The cMABRs directly developed a nitrifying biofilm without a significant phase of partial nitritation. Limiting oxygen availability improved the overall performance with regards to total nitrogen (TN) removal by providing a better environment for anaerobic ammonium oxidation (Anammox) while limiting complete nitrification. Oxygen profiles were measured in the iMABR over time at different biofilms depths, showing that intermittent aeration led to various oxygen concentrations and temporal variations in the oxygen availabilities at different depths of the biofilm. Also, N 2 O emissions from the MABRs differed greatly between the different systems, but still remained lower compared to other reactor configurations for nitrogen removal, making the MABR technology a worthy alternative. The results showed large differences between the operating strategies of the MABRs and can help to gain more insight into the specific properties of MABRs for nitrogen removal. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Nitrogen removal efficiencies by zeolite wetland was better than ceramists and lava. • Selective inhibition of amo B and hao gene abundance on different substrates. • Denitrification is a key pathway for nitrate removal in constructed wetland (CW) • Dissimilatory nitrate reduction process was enhanced in CW- zeolite. This study conducted an analysis of the variations in nitrogen metabolism pathways within constructed wetlands (CWs) using zeolite (CW-Z), ceramsite (CW-C), and lava (CW-L) under high concentration sulfamethoxazole (SMX) stress. The introduction of SMX hindered the formation of hydrogen bonds on the substrate surfaces; however, these surfaces still maintained a dense and thick biofilm. CW-Z exhibited superior removal efficiencies for ammonium nitrogen (NH 4 +-N) and nitrate nitrogen (NO 3 –-N) compared to CW-C and CW-L, with removal rates of 92.54 ± 2.88 % and 89.39 ± 6.74 %, respectively. Interestingly, the proportion of genes involved in nitrification, denitrification and nitrate reduction genes in CW-C (36.05 %) were higher than that in CW-C (29.81 %) and CW-L (29.70 %) but the interactions among nitrogen functional bacteria in CW-Z were much more complex. Further analysis of the nitrogen metabolism pathway indicated that under CW-Z enhanced dissimilatory nitrate reduction SMX stress, while CW-L enhanced assimilatory nitrate reduction process compared to CW-C. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Panax notoginseng often faces varying levels of light stress during its growth, which can hinder efforts to improve its yield and quality. Nitrogen (N) and potassium (K) are known play important role in photosynthesis, while the synergistic effect and mechanism in enhancing the resistance to light stress of P. notoginseng have yet to be well understood. In this study, field experiments and pot trials were conducted to investigate the regulatory effects of the combined application of N and K on N allocation in P. notoginseng leaves under light stress, as well as on metabolic products of photosynthesis and the accumulation of saponin. Results showed that compared with medium light (ML: optimal light intensity, 450 μmol/m2/s), both low light (LL: 60 μmol/m2/s) and high light (HL: 800 μmol/m2/s) stress significantly reduced the net photosynthetic rate (Pn) (32.45% and 12.23%, respectively) and photosynthetic nitrogen use efficiency (PNUE) (10.01% and 19.21%, respectively) of P. notoginseng leaves. Compared with N0K0 (N: K=0.0045:0.0045 kg/m2), N1K2 (N: K=0.0225:0.045 kg/m2) treatment significantly increased Pn and PNUE under LL or HL stress in P. notoginseng , with an average increase of 52.80% and 31.61%, respectively. The allocation of carboxylation nitrogen (Ncb) and electron transport nitrogen (Net) were identified as the main limiting factors for PNUE under light stress. However, compared with N0K0, N1K2 treatment mitigated these limitations by increasing Rubisco content at an average of 0.29 ng/g FW, and adjusting the Ncb ratio by 7.31% to 21.11%, primarily through conversion of non-protein nitrogen (N np) to photosynthetic nitrogen (N psn). In addition, compared with N0K0, N1K2 regulated the activity of carbohydrate metabolism enzymes, resulting in an average increase of 25.72% in starch content and a mean decrease of 6.48% in sucrose content under LL or HL stress, ultimately promoting the accumulation of total saponins in P. notoginseng (11.95% to 29.67%). In summary, under light stress, N1K2 synergy improves LL or HL stress resistance of P. notoginseng by expanding and supplementing the N psn pool in its leaves, thereby promoting the accumulation of carbohydrate and saponins. [Display omitted] • N1K2 mitigates Pn, WUE, and Rubisco decline in light-stressed P. notoginseng. • N1K2 increases the capacity and proportion of N psn in P. notoginseng. • N1K2 promotes the conversion of N np to N psn in P. notoginseng. • There is a significant correlation between PNpsn and PNUE. • N1K2 improves P. notoginseng 's stress resistance, enhancing yield and quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• We present a two-step BN based GSA for NRTM to identify its dominant process. • A real modeling case of EPIC-Nitrogen2D was used for demonstration. • The results show that the dominant processes were diverse for different outputs. Process-based nitrogen reactive transport models (NRTMs) are vital tools for simulating complex nitrogen reactive transport processes in soils and groundwater to reduce nutrient loss and contamination risk. To develop and improve these models, global sensitivity analysis (GSA) is used to identify key model parameters and processes. Because existing GSA approaches focus mainly on model parameters and not model processes, in this study, we developed a two-step GSA method to improve our understanding of model processes. First, we applied the Morris method to identify less influential parameters. Then, we developed a Bayesian network (BN)-based GSA method to identify the dominant processes for different model predictions. The BN-GSA method accounts for the hierarchical uncertainty in the structure of the model system and flexibly groups uncertain inputs into processes based on their characteristics. The two-step GSA method was applied to a real-world nitrogen reactive transport model with 68 uncertain parameters in three different climate scenarios. The results show that the dominant processes differed for various nitrogen and agricultural outputs; thus, different processes should be emphasized based on specific modeling purposes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sebacate (SB) molecules were incorporated into Ca Al layered double hydroxides (CaAL-LDH) using a hydrothermal method. The resulting products underwent characterization through X-ray diffraction, infrared spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy. To investigate the release kinetics and thermodynamics of the corrosion inhibitor, total organic carbon analysis (TOC) was employed. A comparison was made with CaAl-LDH prepared without corrosion inhibitors, in which nitrates were the primary anions within the layered clay structure. An assessment of anion exchange between nitrates and chlorides was conducted using total nitrogen analysis (TN). The SB anion comprised approximately 49.2% of the total dried powder synthesized, with a maximum release efficiency of around 86.7% fitting a Langmuir model. For the evaluation of the corrosion inhibition effect on steel surfaces, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, potentiodynamic polarization, and scanning vibrating electrode technique were employed. The corrosion inhibition impact was ascribed to the liberation of SB anions from the CaAl-LDH pigments, accompanied by alkalinization stemming from partial particle dissolution. Additionally, the incorporation of organic molecules notably enhanced the stability of pigments in aqueous solutions compared to similar ones hosting nitrates. These findings suggested that CaAl-LDH pigments have potential as nanocontainers for organic inhibitors, showing promising prospects in the field of corrosion research. [Display omitted] • Synthesis of CaAl-LDHs particles with sebacate intercalated. • Sebacate anionic exchange with chlorides is efficient at 86.7%. • Organic molecule intercalation gives improved stability in water. • Steel corrosion protection is provided by chloride trapping and inhibitor release. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Epiphytic orchids acquire nutrients elements, including nitrogen, from the atmosphere. However, the nitrogen form preferred by epiphytic orchids Cymbidium tracyanum and adaptive mechanisms that underlie nitrogen metabolism remain unclear. In this study, we determined which nitrogen form the C. tracyanum prefers, and identified adaptive strategies and molecular pathways activated during nitrogen metabolism. For this purpose, we measured the physiological and morphological responses to different ratios of nitrate and ammonium (NO 3 −/NH 4 + = 1:0, 3:1, 1:1, 1:3, 0:1) and used transcriptome analysis to identify genes differentially expressed in response to these nitrogen forms. Physiological and morphological measures of plant growth (i.e., net photosynthetic rate, biomass accumulation, leaf area, root elongation and branching) were highest in plants treated with nitrate. Furthermore, C. tracyanum plants treated with nitrate had a higher root/mass ratio and a lower leaf/mass ratio. Transcriptome analysis identified that several key genes (NRT1.1–2 , NRT1.4–4 , NRT1.7–2 , and CLC-G-2) highly expressed in plants treated with pure nitrate. These genes may be involved in the absorption and transportation of nitrate, and in auxin transportation from leaf to root in C. tracyanum. Our findings suggest that the nitrogen form preferred by C. tracyanum is nitrate and that nitrate alters both root and leaf traits via several molecular pathways, including the plant hormone signal transduction pathway and MAPK signaling pathway. We speculate that the preference of C. tracyanum for nitrate as a nitrogen form may be a result of long-term adaptation to epiphytic habitat via the regulation of leaf and root traits. • Cymbidium tracyanum prefer nitrate during plant vegetative growth. • Plants treated with nitrate had higher net photosynthetic rate, biomass accumulation, leaf area, and root development. • Plants treated with nitrate had a higher root/mass ratio and a lower leaf/mass ratio. • NRT1.1-2 , NRT1.4-4 , NRT1.7-2 , and CLC-G-2 may be involved in the absorption and transportation of nitrate. • We speculate that the preference of C. tracyanum for nitrate may be a result of long-term adaptation to epiphytic habitat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mesoporous γ-alumina is widely used as catalyst support in various catalytic reactions of industrial interest. However, due to the instability of γ-alumina at elevated temperatures, many efforts have been reported to inhibit the α-alumina phase transition through doping with suitable metalloids, as well as transition, post-transition, or rare-earth elements. In the present study, undoped and La-, Sn-, and B-doped alumina granules were synthesized via sol-gel/oil drop method with the aim to clarify the role of the additives and their content on the porous structure as well as on the chemical, structural, and microstructural behavior of γ-alumina. XRD and DTA/TG results demonstrated that thermal stability of transition aluminas increases more than 100 °C by 3 wt% lanthanum and tin doping; however, boron doping seems to have only negligible effect on the thermal stability. On the other hand, based on nitrogen adsorption-desorption analysis, tin and boron-doped aluminas showed a higher surface area at 750 °C (between 214.74 m2/g to 245.97 m2/g) but higher loss in the surface area after calcination at 1200 °C (between 25.45 m2/g to 8.57 m2/g). On the contrary, the 3 wt% La-doped alumina sample, with a relatively high surface area at 750 °C (227.17 m2/g), exhibited the highest surface area after calcination at 1200 °C (53.07 m2/g). 27Al MAS NMR and HRTEM studies indicated that the presence of 3 wt% La in alumina structure leads to thermal and mesoporous structure stability up to 1200 °C by inhibiting oxygen lattice restructuring. These results provide a comparative perspective of La, B, and Sn additives' behavior in γ-alumina. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present study, metal-free catalysts for efficient H 2 generation from NaBH 4 methanolysis was produced for the first time from apricot kernel shells with two-step activation. The first stage of the two-stage activation includes the production of activated carbon with the KOH agent (AKOH), and the second stage includes hydrothermally HNO 3 activation with oxygen doping (O doped AKOH + N). The hydrogen production rate (HGR) and the activation energy (Ea) of the reaction with the obtained metal-free catalyst (10 mg) were determined as 14,444 ml min−1 g−1 and 7.86 kJ mol−1, respectively. The structural and physical-chemical properties of these catalysts were characterized by XRD (X-ray diffraction), SEM (scanning electron microscopy), elemental CHNS analysis, FT-IR (Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy), and nitrogen adsorption analysis. Also, the reusability results of this metal-free catalyst for H 2 production are promising. [Display omitted] • O doped metal-free catalysts based on carbonaceous sample was prepared. • Metal-free catalysts were used to obtain H 2 from NaBH 4 methanolysis. • HGR obtained with O doped metal-free catalysts was 14,444 ml min−1g−1. • Ea value was 7.86 kJ mol−1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite of several decades lasting extensive research of bioactive and bioresorbable glasses the systematic parametrization and determination of the key factors affecting porosity and thermomechanical characteristics still remains challenging. Here, we present silica-phosphate glasses, with the composition 70SiO 2 –20P 2 O 5 –(10- x)CaO– x TiO 2 (mol%; x = 0, 2.5, 5, and 7.5), prepared by sol-gel method and reinforced by titanium dioxide via titanium isopropoxide (TTIP) incorporation which demonstrated tunable variation of porosity from micro-to macro-region and superb mechanical integrity during the calcination process. The presence of 7.5 mol% TiO 2 promotes dimensional stability up to 1000 °C as investigated by thermomechanical analysis. The XRD showed the dominant presence of silicon phosphate [Si(P 2 O 7)], titanium phosphate [Ti(P 2 O 7)] and calcium phosphates [β-Ca(P 2 O 6) and γ- Ca 2 (P 2 O 7)]. The effect of TiO 2 doping on the multiscale morphology and porosity was investigated by means of SEM, MIP, μCT, N 2 adsorption and USAXS/SAXS. Increasing TiO 2 content leads to the formation of open porosity up to 70 vol% and drives the formation of a refined interconnected macroporosity of 2–30 μm. In contrast, mesoporosity with a dominance of 3–6 nm pores decreases in all samples with increasing TiO 2 content. USAXS/SAXS revealed an increase in primary particle size with increasing TiO 2 content which is in good agreement with the nitrogen physisorption analysis showing that microporosity decreases with increasing TiO2 content. [Display omitted] • The reinforcement of silica-phosphate glass with titanium dioxide via titanium isopropoxide. • The increasing TiO 2 content led to the formation of open porosity 70 vol%. • The presence of TiO 2 drives a formation of a fully interconnected framework at a macroscale. • Micro-/mesoporosity decreases with increasing TiO 2 content. • USAXS/SAXS profiles indicated the hierarchical morphology of sol-gel glasses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) are bioplastics which are well known as intracellular energy storage compounds and are produced in a large number of prokaryotic species. These bio-based inclusions are biodegradable, biocompatible and environmental friendly. Industrial production of, short chain and medium chain length PHA, involves the use of microorganisms and their enzymes. Priestia megaterium previously known as Bacillus megaterium is a well-recognized bacterium for producing short chain length PHA. This study focuses to characterize this bacterium for the production of medium chain length PHA, and a novel blend of both types of monomers having enhanced properties and versatile applications. Statistical analyses and simulations were used to demonstrate that cell dry weight can be derived as a function of OD 600 and PHA content. Optimization of growth conditions resulted in the maximum PHA production as: 0. 05 g. g-x. H−1, where the rate of PHA production was 0.28 g L−1. H−1 and PHA concentration was 4.94 g. L−1. This study also demonstrated FTIR to be a semi quantitative tool for PHA production. Moreover, conversion of scl-PHA to mcl-PHA with reference to time intermissions using GC-FID are shown. • Priestia megaterium showed metabolic shift in PHA production by converting PHB into mcl-PHA using two different media. • Statistical analysis optimized the C/N ratio, and concentrations of growth constituents to enhance the mcl-PHA production. • Electron microscopy evaluated the size, structure and shape of PHA granules with respect to time intervals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To overcome the drawbacks of pure mesostructured titania and in particular the low thermal stability, in this study we have investigated in detail the effect of Si4+ addition on the properties of mesostructured TiO 2 prepared by combining the sol-gel process and the surfactant templating mechanism. Obtained materials have also been tested for the photodegradation of methyl orange, used as a model dye. From the SAXS and the manometry nitrogen adsorption-desorption analyses, it can be concluded that the presence of Si4+ delays the collapse of the mesopores network. Compared to the bare mesostructured TiO 2 , the XRD and Raman results show that the anatase and the rutile phases appear at higher temperature. The higher the Si4+ content, the higher the amorphous-anatase and rutile anatase-phase transition temperatures. The delay in the crystallization also allows the detection of the TiO 2 -β phase, which is an anatase phase with oxygen vacancies. These phenomena have been attributed to the « glass effect ». In that case, amorphous SiO 2 , which is formed during the synthesis, surrounds the titania particles and inhibits their growth, when the heating temperature is increased. By this way, the thermal stability of the mesostructured titania containing Si4+ is enhanced. Photocatalytic experiments highlight the importance of the presence of the anatase phase for the discoloration efficiency of the dye solution. Indeed, the increase of Si4+ leads to a clear decrease of the photodegradation efficiency. [Display omitted] • Presence of SiO 2 involves an enhancement of thermal stability. • Protector role of amorphous SiO 2 surrounding TiO 2 particles. • Stabilization of TiO 2 -β and inhibition of rutile occur in the presence of SiO 2. • Partial substitution of Ti4+ by Si4+. • Discoloration rate of the dye solution correlated to the size of the anatase crystallites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The elemental analyzer-isotope ratio mass spectrometer (EA-IRMS) technique is widely utilized to measure the nitrogen isotope ratio (δ15N) in various environmental samples. However, this method has limitations when analyzing samples with low nitrogen content (e.g., soils, rocks and atmospheric deposition) due to significant sample dilution (>99%) before entering the ion source. To reduce sample size requirement and increase sensitivity, modifications can be made to the elemental analyzer and analytical conditions to transfer more sample gas to the ion source. In this study, we presented four modifications to the EA-IRMS instrument, including the reaction tube, water trap, gas chromatography (GC) column, and inlet splitter connected to ConFlo, along with the analytical conditions of the GC column, carrier gas flow rate, and split ratio for improving sensitivity. The results show that reducing the carrier gas flow rate from 80 to 30 mL/min increased the sensitivity of the EA-IRMS system by twofold. By increasing the split ratio from 3:2 to 3:1, the sensitivity increased from 2.32 Vs/μg N to 3.93 Vs/μg N. The optimized EA-IRMS has a sample size requirement of at least 12 μg N and a standard deviation of <0.2‰ for δ15N analysis. We found that the modifications of the GC column and water trap had a negligible influence on sample peak and measurement and thus were deemed unnecessary. The effective modifications in the study were reducing the carrier gas flow rate and increasing split ratio, which increased the concentration of the analyte gas per unit volume and more efficient sample transfer to the ion source. This upgraded method can provide crucial technical support for environmental samples with low nitrogen content. • New modified EA-IRMS method was developed for trace nitrogen isotope analysis. • The minimum nitrogen requirement was reduced from 28 μg to 12 μg. • New method can improve analysis accuracy and decrease analysis costs. • Nitrogen isotope of varied mass of standards and actual samples are consistent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) hyperspectral data can provide accurate and detailed spectral information on the surface of features, leading to a better understanding of the physiological characteristics and optical properties of objects. Compared to satellite hyperspectral, UAV hyperspectral has a greater image spatial resolution, but it also collects more impurity information along with more image detail information. The nitrogen (N) content in shallow soils is of great significance for crop growth, and most of its remote sensing inversions are currently based on satellite images, whereas relatively few studies have used hyperspectral UAV images in the near-infrared band for inversions. Based on this, we propose a high-accuracy inversion model based on UAV hyperspectral imagery using an elastic net (EN) dimensionality reduction algorithm combined with a decision tree (DT) model. In this study, a hyperspectral imager carried by a drone was used to acquire the surface soil spectral data of winter wheat in the study area after sowing and fertilizing, and the measured N content of the sampled soil was determined by chemical analysis methods. We used various pre-processing methods to denoise and reduce the dimensionality of the original hyperspectral images and utilized a DT regression model to construct an inversion model of N content with different preprocessing results. Then we compared the accuracy of the models and used the optimal model to obtain the spatial distribution map of soil N content in the study area. The results show that (1) the dimensionality reduction of hyperspectral data can effectively remove redundant information and prevent data overfitting. Among them, the successive projections algorithm and correlation analysis method are more suitable for analyzing pre-processed spectral data, whereas the Lasso and EN algorithms are more suitable for processing original spectral data. (2) For the original spectral images, the EN dimensionality reduction algorithm (R2 of the EN-Unt-DT inversion model is 0.930, RMSE is 0.045) performed better than the other three algorithms. For the pre-processed spectral images, the successive projections algorithm (R2 of the SPA-Pre-DT inversion model is 0.906, RMSE is 0.055) performed better than the other three algorithms. The constructed EN-Unt-DT inversion model had the highest fitting accuracy. The research results provide a corresponding technical reference for the inversion of soil N content using UAV NIR hyperspectral data. • The FD-SNV-SG pretreatment method was chosen based on the features of the spectral curves. • Hyperspectral data were dimensionally reduced to reduce data redundancy and avoid overfitting. • Eight inversion models were built, among which the best model was EN-Unt-DT, R2 = 0.93, RMSE = 0.045. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nitrogen balance (NB) experiments allow calculation of N retention in the body by subtracting N excreted in feces (NF), urine (NU) and milk (NM) from N intake (NI). In a previous study, we found that NB data from experiments with lactating dairy cows were generally high and, in the current meta-analysis, we update our earlier study with experiments from the last 2 decades and investigate probable causes of error. A total of 83 publications, with 86 experiments and 307 dietary treatments, were selected from top-ranked scientific journals that reported all NB components. The NB and NB components were analyzed by linear regression with a model that used NI as an independent variable and experiment as a random effect. The NF, NU and NM each represented 27 to 34% of NI, and the remaining N accumulated in the body was equal to 38.5 g/d (overall SD = 43.2 g/d). Retained N (as g/d or % of NI) increased linearly with NI, and this led to unlikely high N retentions, especially at high NI. Both NF and NU (g/d) increased with increasing NI, and we assume that some N in feces and urine were unaccounted. Only ~22% of experiments measured N in wet feces samples and, when analysis used dry samples, no mention of corrections due to potential volatile N losses during drying were reported. No experimentalists preserved feces immediately to prevent volatilization during collection. Moreover, ~27% of experiments estimated urine volumes by concentration of creatinine in spot samples, and in these experiments, NU was ~12% lower than those where total urine was collected (168 vs. 191 g/d). Only 40 experiments reported the volume and concentration of acids used for urine preservation, 33 furnished incomplete information, and the remainder did not describe the urine preservation method. In conclusion, the results of NB experiments using lactating dairy cows overestimate N retention, and the losses of N from feces and urine are the most probable reason. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Emerging evidence suggests that a dietary protein intake higher than the current recommended dietary allowance of 0.8 g/kg body weight (BW)/d may be needed to maintain optimal muscle mass, strength, and function in older adults. However, defining optimal protein intake in this age group remains a challenge. Objective In this study we sought to describe the dietary protein intake in frail, prefrail, and robust older Taiwanese adults Methods Data for 1920 older adults were collected from the Nutrition and Health Survey in Taiwan from 2014 to 2017. Dietary intake was assessed using the 24-h recall method. Frailty was determined using the modified Fried's criteria. Body composition was assessed using DXA. Sex-specific dietary protein intakes, measured as values/kg of BW, fat-free mass (FFM), and lean mass (LM), were estimated for the 3 age groups (65–69, 70–79, and ≥80y) and the 3 frailty levels. Results In both males (P for trend = 0.034) and females (P for trend = 0.015), there were significant downward trends for protein intake/kg of BW with the severity of frailty. The age-adjusted protein intake/kg of BW was still significant in males (P for trend = 0.009), but no longer in females. This phenomenon was also seen for protein intake at lunch and dinner but not at breakfast. Age-adjusted trends for protein intake/kg FFM or LM were not significant in either sex. The median protein intake in robust older males and females was 1.21 and 1.19 g/kg BW/d, respectively, and the mean intakes were even higher. Conclusion Median protein intake in robust Taiwanese older adults was approximately 1.2 g/kg BW/d, with higher mean values. The protein adequate intake in Taiwanese older adults was higher than the current recommended daily allowance (RDA) level but within the RDA range derived from the state-of art indicator amino acid oxidation technique. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Investigation of surface recombination activity of nitrogen on certain materials is crucial in the design of hypersonic re-entry vehicles. In the present work, an experimental study using a conventional shock tube facility has been conducted to investigate the phenomena of nitrogen recombination. Stagnation heat-transfer measurements were conducted behind reflected shock waves in a dissociated shock-tube flow for a mixture of 20% nitrogen and 80% argon. A platinum thin-film gauge was used to measure the stagnation heat-transfer in a shock heated gas mixture under a well-defined test condition. The surface of the heat-transfer gauge was coated with silicon dioxide (SiO 2), the principal material used in thermal protection systems (TPS) for the hypersonic vehicles. Spectroscopic analyses were performed for in-depth characterization of the initial surface condition of the test specimen. Recombination activity behavior of nitrogen was evaluated by combining the heat-transfer data with catalytic heat transfer theories. The nitrogen recombination efficiency of silicon dioxide is found to be from 0.0026 to 0.035 at surface roughness factors of 1.01 to 1.10. Compared to the oxygen recombination activity, the nitrogen recombination activity showed a more than five times higher sensitivity to the roughness factor of the SiO 2 -coated surface. • Recombination activity behavior of nitrogen on SiO 2 surface is evaluated. • Stagnation heat-transfer data are analyzed using catalytic heat-transfer theories. • Initial surface conditions of test specimen are examined by spectroscopic analysis. • Nitrogen catalytic efficiency of SiO 2 surface is deduced to be from 0.0026 to 0.035. • Nitrogen recombination is more favorable to change in SiO 2 roughness than oxygen. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Acidity of HZSM-5 is controlled by mixing HZSM-5 and Na-modified HZSM-5. • Na-modification of HZSM-5 change only acidity without change textural properties. • Mixing HZSM-5 and Na-modified HZSM-5 decreases strong acid sites of catalyst with minimizing reduction of weak acid sites. • Catalyst prepared with 50 wt% HZSM-5 and 50 wt% Na-modified HZSM-5 has higher catalytic activity than conventional HZSM-5. In this study, Zeolite Socony Mobil–5 (ZSM-5) was modified by ion exchange with sodium ion to control the strong acid sites of catalyst, and the specific control of strong acid sites was carried out by mixing HZSM-5 and NaZSM-5. The characteristics of the catalyst were analyzed using X-ray diffraction, NH 3 -temperature programmed desorption, pyridine adsorption Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and nitrogen adsorption-desorption analysis. The catalysts were used for the catalytic reaction with methylcyclohexane under supercritical condition (500 °C and 5.0 MPa). After reaction, the liquid product was analyzed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, and the spent catalyst was analyzed using thermogravimetric analysis to measure coke formation. In the catalytic reaction, conventional HZSM-5 was deactivated quickly with time (59.6 % of deactivation rate), but the mixed catalyst with NaZSM-5 was deactivated more slowly than HZSM-5. In addition, the mixed catalyst having the same mass ratio for HZSM-5 and NaZSM-5 showed the lowest deactivation rate of 37.4 % after 60 min. The mixed catalyst produced 10.1 wt% coke and it was lower than HZSM-5 (12.5 wt%). The catalytic robustness of HZSM-5 could be enhanced by mixing with NaZSM-5. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In maize, nitrogen (N) stored in leaves is an important internal source for supporting subsequent growth and development. However, the regulation of N fluxes and photosynthesis and the molecular and genotypic regulations that modify them are less clear in source leaves during the vegetative stage. This knowledge is crucial for improving N use efficiency (NUE). By using 15N labeling and transcriptome methods, an analysis of the physiological and molecular basis of leaf N import and export processes and photosynthetic N use efficiency (PNUE) was conducted in two maize hybrids (XY335 and XY696) with different stay-green characteristics during the vegetative stage. Leaf N import and export in XY696 were 45% and 33% greater than those in XY335. However, the PNUE in XY335 was 17% greater than that in XY696 due to the higher net photosynthetic rate (A) and lower SLN. Correspondingly, the chlorophyll content and photosynthesis-related enzyme (PEPc, PEPck, PPDK) activities increased by 18∼30% in XY335. Transcriptome analysis indicated that the expression levels of several N and carbon metabolism-related genes encoding Rubisco, PEPc, Nir, GS and AS were significantly increased or decreased in XY696 in parallel with enzyme activities. Moreover, there was a large difference in the expression abundance of genes encoding nitrate/nitrite transporters and transmembrane proteins. Our results suggest that two hybrids modulate leaf N fluxes and photosynthesis differently by altering gene expression and enzyme activities. Our study contributes to understanding leaf N fluxes and PNUE regulation and serves as a crucial reference for NUE improvement in maize breeding research. [Display omitted] • Leaf N import and export in XY696 were greater compared to XY335. • XY335 showed a higher PNUE as results of high A and low SLN. • Photosynthetic enzyme activities and chlorophyll content were increased in XY335. • Rubisco, NiR, GS and AS changed in transcript level in parallel to activity level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Wood was modified via controlled in-situ self-assembly Ag-PW nanospheres. • Excellent flame retardancy and durability with leach test was achieved. • Antimicrobial property was achieved via in-situ self-assembly Ag-PW nanospheres treatment. • The catalytic mechanism of Ag-PW on depolymerization route of conversion of LGO to HMF was verified by DFT calculation. • The possible adsorption mechanism of Ag-PW on wood was proposed. In this work, we present a simple and effective approach to enhance the fire safety and anti-corrosion performance of wood by forming in-situ self-assembled amphiphilic Ag-PW nanospheres (NSP) at room temperature. The morphology and acid capacity of the NSP were optimized by changing the ratio of phosphotungstic acid (HPW) and silver nitrate. The Ag-PW NSP were successfully integrated into the bulk of the wood, resulting in a durable treatment with minimal leaching. Comprehensive characterization techniques, including FTIR, XPS, XRD, SEM, TEM, and nitrogen adsorption–desorption analysis, confirmed the in-situ formation of Ag-PW NSP in the wood. The treatment exhibited low-leaching properties with only 5.89% of Ag-PW1a leaching out. The treated wood demonstrated excellent flame-retardant (FR) properties, as evidenced by a limiting oxygen index value > 28% and easy passage of the UL-94 test, with the formation of a high-density char layer. The flammable pyrolysis products released during combustion were found to be significantly altered, with a change in the depolymerization route of conversion of LGO under acid conditions to HMF, which was verified by DFT calculations. The treated wood also exhibited outstanding anti-corrosion properties, with a mass loss rate of less than 1%, compared to at least 32.3% for bare wood after the anti-white or brown-rot fungus tests. Moreover, the treated wood samples maintained their excellent FR properties even after leaching. Our study provides valuable insights for the rational design of nano-material additives for wood protection, thereby improving the usage of wood resources while mitigating health and environmental hazards. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A systematic first principles study is carried out to probe into the activity of graphyne supported Co 13 , Fe 13 and Ni 13 nano-clusters (NCs) towards the reduction of nitrogen (N 2) into ammonia (NH 3). Graphyne is found to highly stabilize the metal nano-clusters on its large pores through an exothermic chemisorption process. Adsorption of N 2 on the graphyne supported NCs are detected to be highly exothermic in both end-on and side-on mode configurations. N 2 becomes more activated via a higher amount of N-N bond stretching when adsorbed in side-on configuration. The activation of the N-N bond is shown to be directly proportional to the amount of charge transfer to the adsorbed N 2 molecule. Thorough analysis of the nitrogen reduction reaction (NRR) on each graphyne supported metal NC reveals that NRR starting from side-on mode N 2 adsorbed configuration prefers the enzymatic pathway though other pathways are possible at the cost of relatively higher overpotential. Only the distal pathway is energetically favoured following the end-on mode N 2 adsorbed configuration. Graphyne supported Co 13 , Fe 13 and Ni 13 NCs are shown to carry out NRR with substantially low overpotential values of 0.24 V, 0.28 V and 0.37 V respectively. The active sites located far from the graphyne substrate are found to be more selective towards NRR with low overpotential than hydrogen evolution reaction. The NCs maintain their structural stability on the graphyne surface throughout the whole reaction process via different pathways showing that graphyne is a potentially very promising substrate material to stabilize the NC electrocatalysts and to improve their electrocatalytic activities towards NRR. [Display omitted] • NRR is studied theoretically for graphyne supported Co 13 , Fe 13 and Ni 13 nano-clusters. • The interaction of the nano-clusters with the graphyne substrate is investigated. • Electronic properties of the adsorbed nano-clusters and N 2 molecules in explored. • The selectivity of the chosen electrocatalyst systems towards NRR is established. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Significant removal capability of inorganic N was detected in strain DN3. • N assimilation dominated the NH 4 +-N, NO 3 −-N, and NO 2 −-N removal process. • Hetertrophic nitrification pathway of DN3 was revealed: NH 4 + → NH 2 OH → NO → N 2 O → N 2. • N eliminating assays under various conditions showed bacterial potential application. • A candidate for treatment of mariculture wastewater was provided by this work. Recently, the functional microorganisms capable of eliminating nitrogenous waste have been applied in mariculture systems. As a potential candidate for treating mariculture wastewater, strain DN3 eliminated 100% of ammonia and nitrate and 96.61%–100% of nitrite within 72 h, when single nitrogen sources at concentrations of 0–50 mg/L. Strain DN3 also exhibited the efficient removal performance of mixed-form nitrogen (ammonia, nitrate, and nitrite) at salinity 30 ‰, C/N ratio 20, and 180 rpm. The nitrogen assimilation pathway dominated inorganic nitrogen metabolism, with less nitrogen (14.23%-25.02% of TN) lost into the air via nitrification and denitrification, based on nitrogen balance analysis. Moreover, the bacterial nitrification pathway was explored by enzymatic assays and inhibition assays. These complex nitrogen assimilation and dissimilation processes were further revealed by bacterial genome analysis. These results provide important insight into nitrogen metabolism of Halomonas sp. and theoretical support for treating mariculture wastewater with strain DN3. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Producing enough food to simultaneously address food shortage and agro-environmental pollution problems attracts attention globally. To quantify the risks of nutrition crisis to food security and the agro-environment under current agricultural policies in China, this study evaluates and predict the spatiotemporal patterns of nitrogen (N) flows during 1949–2050 through material flow analysis (MFA) and spatial analysis methods. The results show that (1) the crop harvest (including grains, fruits and vegetables) in China increased by a factor of 8.12 from 1949 to 2019, accompanied by a large amount of N loss to the environment. Compared to 1949, N runoff increased 1.23 times in 1979 and 3.43 times in 1999 after which time agricultural pollution control policy achieved initial results, and the crop harvest increased steadily. (2) At the national average level, crop production will increase by 58.60% in 2050, which is higher than the food security threshold while N loss to the environment will be lower than the agro-environmental risk threshold. Under the current agricultural policy, the win-win goals of crop production increase and pollution control can be realized in China. (3) China has obvious temporal and spatial differences in N flows, for which four regions has been divided. Region II, mainly located in Yangtze River Economic Belt, is a high-risk area for N loss. By 2050, environmental pollution can be controlled under the current agricultural policies. However, crop production will only increase by 10% compared with its historical high value, lower than food security threshold. It is necessary to implement more targeted management of high-risk areas by adopting methods such as fallowing or construction of pollution buffer zones while improving N fertilizer use efficiency. For region III, the impact of N loss on the environment has always been at a low level, so there is still great room for increasing future crop production in this region. On average, China will be able to achieve green and sustainable development for agriculture nationally, but there are remaining food security risks in high N loss areas. More targeted N management strategies should be applied to achieve better goals in the future. [Display omitted] • Crop harvest increased by 8.12 times, accompanied by a large amount of N losses. • Compare to 2014, N runoff in 2019 reduced by 15% for the environmental policies. • Win-win goals for food security and pollution control can be reached in 2050. • To achieve better goals, 4 regions are divided to apply more targeted N management strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recovery of coalbed methane (CBM) is of great significance for environmental protection, safe production of coal mines, and clean energy supply. To reveal the efficiency difference of different nitrogen reverse Brayton cycles (N 2 -RBC) for recovering CBM and identify the most efficient N 2 -RBC in terms of energy consumption and economy, four typical N 2 -RBCs were studied numerically. Each process was optimized globally by performing genetic algorithm (GA) procedure, using specific power consumption (SPC) per unit product as the objective function. Pinch analysis approach was used to improve N 2 -RBC. All proposed processes were assessed comprehensively concerning efficiency, exergy loss, and economy. It is found that the slope of the hot/cold composite curve is greatly influenced by the material streams' mass flow rate while slightly affected by the specific heat except for the region near critical parameters. The parallel arrangement of expanders reaches a better match between hot and cold composite curves than the series. For the liquefaction capacity of 10 tons per day, the liquefaction process using parallel N 2 -RBC achieves the lowest SPC of 0.72 kWh·kg−1 and the highest figure of merit of 31.11%. It also has the lowest exergy loss of 180.1 kW and a total investment of 4047.76 k$, respectively. • Four typical N 2 -RBCs are assessed concerning efficiency, exergy loss, and economy. • Parallel N 2 -RBC is evaluated as the most profitable. • Factors affecting the shape of the composite curve are investigated. • Pinch analysis approach is used to guide improvement of N 2 -RBC for the first time. • Parallel N 2 -RBC achieves more excellent match between composite curves than series. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plant-Nitrogen is a vital element that significantly influences plant growth, fruit quality, and yield. However, excessive Nitrogen (N) fertilizer application can have adverse effects on both plant health and environment. Traditional methods of plant-N analysis face numerous challenges like time-consuming procedures, hazardous chemicals, low precision, and limited throughput, hindering efficient and accurate analysis in laboratories. In recent years, Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (NIRS) has emerged as an innovative and rapid method for plant-N analysis, offering non-destructive, cost-effective, and real-time measurements with high accuracy and throughput. This research aimed to explore the potential of utilizing miniaturized handheld Near-Infrared (NIR) sensors in conjunction with machine learning (ML) and chemometrics to assess the N status of tomato plants leaves in the field. Through this study, A comprehensive analysis involving 18 models utilizing different regression and spectral preprocessing methods was conducted. The findings indicate that combining the first- or second-order SG derivatives with the MSC is the optimal spectral data preprocessing method, and that incorporating wavelengths selection techniques, such as GA-PLS and GA-SVM, improves the predictive accuracy of the models by reducing the number of wavelengths considered. The best model's performance was assessed using R2, RMSE, and RPD, yielding values of 81.0–82.8, 7.4–7.8, and 2.3–2.4, respectively. Overall, this study demonstrates that combining NIRS with ML and chemometrics enables effective evaluation of plant-N status using leaves total N content as a proxy variable and emphasizes the significance of integrating spectral preprocessing, modeling, and wavelengths selection techniques to enhance data quality and mitigate the influence of environmental factors that may impact the accuracy of NIRS-based evaluations. • Rapid and efficient method for assessing plant nutritional status was introduced. • Machine learning and chemometrics have unleashed the power of NIR spectroscopy in the analysis of nutrients in fresh leaves. • Leaf diagnosis was a good proxy for evaluating plants nutritional status. • Leaf tissue analysis offered crucial information about the plant status. • Meta-Modeling made it possible to develop powerful calibrations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The synthesis of promising multifunctional material ZnIn 2 S 4 using hydrothermal method has been proposed. • Photocatalytic dye degradation and photoelectrochemical measurements revealed the photocatalytic activity of the material. • Charge storage capacity of the material has been explored for the first time to the best of our knowledge. ZnIn 2 S 4 is an important mixed metal sulfide semiconductor with multifunctional properties, endowed upon by its hierarchical structure, large surface area and porosity. In this work, hierarchical ZnIn 2 S 4.1 (ZnInS) microflowers made up of petal like nanostructures are synthesized using a simple and facile hydrothermal method. Nitrogen adsorption-desorption analysis of these microflowers showed porous structures with pores ~3 nm. This material shows a photocurrent density of 3.1 μA cm−2 and activity towards methylene blue (MB) dye degradation under direct sunlight. The sample also shows pseudocapacitive behavior with specific capacitance value of 131 F g−1 at a scan rate of 10 mV s−1. The pseudocapacitive behavior of polycrystalline ZnInS has been explored for the first time to the best of our knowledge. This study demonstrates that the single phase ZnInS is a multifunctional material for photocatalysis and electrochemical charge storage applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Inspiration from morphogenesis to design synthetic porous silica materials. • Biomimetics combining sol–gel process and surfactant-system templating pathway. • Oil incorporation into biocompatible Kolliphor surfactant systems: control of porosity. • Swollen micelles and fine emulsions template for large mesoporous silica. • Macropores imprints of the oil droplets of the concentrated emulsions. Taking inspiration from morphogenesis, synthetic porous silica materials have been synthesized through rational designs combining the sol–gel process and the surfactant templating method. Materials have been prepared from biocompatible systems using kolliphor as surfactant. The effect of Miglyol and Myristate solubilization in the Kolliphor/water system was first investigated in detail. The phase diagram proved that only a weak fraction of these oils (≈1 wt.%) can be incorporated into the hydrophobic core of the micelles (L 1). Results also show that whatever the liquid crystal phases [direct hexagonal (H 1) and lamellar (L α)] the swelling effect take place upon addition of oil. Moreover, at low oil concentration oil-in-water fine emulsions are formulated, while at high oil concentration, oil-in-water concentrated emulsion are formulated. Starting from the various systems, porous silica materials were then synthesized. Results obtained by SAXS and nitrogen adsorption–desorption analysis show that Miglyol and Myristate can expand the mesopore size. The variations of the pore diameter have been related to the solubilization properties of the oil in the surfactant. In addition, macroporous silica could be design by using concentrated emulsions as template. This work demonstrates that synthetic silica materials can be obtained by mimic of natural processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The nitrogen isotope ratio (NIR) is a promising index of traditional food intake for an Alaska Native (Yup'ik) population, which can be measured in blood and hair. However, the NIR has not been calibrated to high-quality measures of Yup'ik traditional food intake.Objectives: Our primary objective was to examine associations between intakes of Yup'ik traditional food groups, including fish, marine mammals, birds, land mammals, berries, greens, and total traditional foods, and the NIR. In an exploratory analysis, we also examined whether NIR analyzed sequentially along hair could reflect dietary seasonality.Methods: We recruited 68 participants from 2 Yup'ik communities in the Yukon Kuskokwim region of Southwest Alaska (49% female, aged 14-79 y). Participants completed 4 unscheduled 24-h food recalls over the period peak of RBC and hair synthesis preceding a specimen collection visit. The NIR was measured in RBCs ( n = 68), a proximal hair section (n = 58), and sequential segments of hair from individuals in the upper 2 quartiles of traditional food intake having hair >6 cm in length, plus 2 low subsistence participants for reference (n = 18). Diet-biomarker associations were assessed using Pearson's correlation and linear regression.Results: Intakes of fish, marine mammals, berries, and greens were significantly associated with the NIR. The strongest dietary association was with total traditional food intake (R2 = 0.62), which indicated that each 1‰ increase in the RBC NIR corresponded to 8% of energy from traditional foods. Hair NIR appeared to fluctuate seasonally in some individuals, peaking in the summertime.Conclusions: Findings support the use of the RBC and hair NIR to assess total traditional food intake in a Yup'ik population. Analyses of sequential hair NIR provided evidence of seasonality in traditional food intake, although seasonal variations were modest relative to interindividual variation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The subduction of sediment connects the surface nitrogen cycle to that of the deep Earth. To understand the evolution of nitrogen in the atmosphere, the behavior of nitrogen during the subduction and melting of subducted sediments has to be estimated. This study presents high-pressure experimental measurements of the partitioning of nitrogen during the melting of sediments at sub-arc depths. For quantitative analysis of nitrogen in minerals and glasses, we calibrated the electron probe micro-analyzer on synthetic ammonium feldspar to measure nitrogen concentrations as low as 500 μg g−1. Nitrogen abundances in melt and mica are used together with mass balance calculations to determine D N(Mica/Melt) , D N(Fluid/Mica) , and D N(Fluid/Melt). Calculated partition coefficients correspond to expected values for NH 4 +, which behaves similarly to Rb+ due to its nearly identical size. Nitrogen partitioning between fluid and melt (D N(Fluid/Melt)) and fluid and bulk residue (melt+mica) (D N(Fluid/Bulk)) increase linearly with temperature normalized to pressure. This linear relationship can be used to calculate D N(Fluid/Melt) and D N(Fluid/Bulk) for slab melts from 800 to 1200 °C following: D N Fluid / Melt = 0.012 × T ° C P GPa − 2.02 and D N Fluid / Bulk = 0.04 × T ° C P GPa − 8.48. We used these partition coefficients to quantify the amount of N recycled into the mantle as 50 ± 6% of today's atmospheric N. Depending on the rate of mantle N degassing we calculated 4 different scenarios for atmospheric pN 2 evolution. All 4 scenarios estimate pN 2 to be 8–12% higher at the beginning of the Phanerozoic. These estimates diverge towards the past due to uncertainties in the mechanism and magnitude of N degassing from the mantle. Assuming degassing of N in the past was close to modern degassing rates from MORB, pN 2 was up to 40% higher at the onset of plate tectonics at 3–4 Ga. However, degassing rates were probably higher than this: assuming 10× and 20× times higher rates at the onset of plate tectonics leads to pN 2 within 20% of modern values. If N degassing from the mantle is increased to 40× the modern MORB rate, pN 2 in the Archean would have been 50% lower than today's, which is in accordance with observations from paleoatmospheric studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin functionalized monolith was prepared by a simple and efficient one-pot sequential strategy. • Enantiomer separations of various kinds of chiral analytes were achieved. • This prepared monolith exhibited good reproducibility and stability. In this study, a hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin (HP-β-CD) functionalized monolithic capillary column was prepared by one-pot sequential reaction for the first time. The preparation of the HP-β-CD functionalized monolithic column involves two sequential reactions in one pot: (1) the ring opening reaction between HP-β-CD and glycidyl methacrylate (GMA) catalyzed by 1,8-diazabicyclo[5.4.0]undec-7-ene (DBU); (2) the copolymerization of GMA-HP-β-CD, ethylene dimethacrylate (EDMA) and 2-acrylamido-2-methyl propane sulfonic acid (AMPS). A series of monolithic columns were successfully prepared by varying the temperature of the ring opening reaction or several copolymerization parameters (the type and composition of porogenic solvents, ratio of GMA-HP-β-CD to EDMA and polymerization temperature). Then, the morphologies and structures of the resulting monolithic stationary phases were characterized by optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and nitrogen adsorption analysis. Raman spectroscopy clearly indicated the successful bonding of HP-β-CD onto the monolith. When the prepared chiral stationary phase (CSP) was applied for the separation of a set of racemic compounds by capillary electrochromatography (CEC), including racemic anticholinergic drugs, β-adrenergic drugs, meptazinol and its intermediates, satisfactory separation selectivities were obtained. Additionally, the column also showed excellent separation abilities towards four flavanone glycosides epimers. Furthermore, the prepared monolithic columns exhibited satisfactory stability and reproducibilities of retention time, resolution and column efficiency. These results demonstrated the potential and usefulness of the developed one-pot sequential strategy in the preparation of other derivatized CD functionalized monolithic columns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A novel SNW-1 incorporated chiral polymer monolith was developed. • The cellulase@(GMA-EDMA-SNW-1) monolith exhibited excellent chiral selectivity. • SNW-1 incorporation improved resolution and column efficiency. • The repeatability and stability of the prepared monolith are satisfactory. A covalent organic framework, Schiff base network-1 (SNW-1), was synthesized and incorporated into cellulase based poly(glycidyl methacrylate-co-ethylene dimethacrylate) (cellulase@poly(GMA-EDMA-SNW-1)) monolith to afford a novel chiral stationary phase for capillary electrochromatography (CEC). SNW-1 is attractive as a stationary phase for CEC because it not only features high surface areas but also provides conjugate structures and abundant amine groups to give π-π electrostatic stacking and hydrogen bonding property. Incorporation of SNW-1 into monolithic column could improve the column efficiency and increase the interactions between the tested racemates and the stationary phase thus significantly improved their CEC separation. The obtained monoliths were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, elemental analysis and nitrogen adsorption. Moreover, effects of SNW-1 concentration, immobilization pH of cellulase and CEC conditions were also investigated. Under the optimized conditions, the cellulase@poly(GMA-EDMA-SNW-1) monolith exhibited excellent enantioseparation performance for eight pairs of different classes of chiral drugs including β-blockers, antihistamines and anticoagulants. Satisfactory repeatability was achieved with relative standard deviations for intra-day, inter-day and column-to-column runs less than 4.5%, and batch-to-batch runs less than 6.8%. The experiment results reveal that the combination of the versatile features of monoliths and unique properties of SNW-1 could be a promising strategy for chiral separation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coordination polymers of 2′,3′,5′,6′-tetramethyl-[1,1′:4′,1′′-terphenyl]-4,4′′-dicarboxylic acid with Cu(II), Co(II) and Cd(II) have been synthesized and characterized by IR spectroscopy, single crystal X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetric analysis and nitrogen sorption studies. Three new 3D-metal–organic frameworks based on 2′,3′,5′,6′-tetramethyl-[1,1′:4′,1′′-terphenyl]-4,4′′-dicarboxylic acid (H 2 L) and Co, Cu, and Cd nodes have been synthesized. The complexes were characterized by elemental, thermogravimetric analysis, IR spectroscopy, single crystal, powder X-ray diffraction and gas sorption experiments. The crystal structure of [Cu 2 L 2 (H 2 O) 2 ] n (1) corresponds to a two-dimensional coordination polymer, in which the metal nodes are two crystallographically equivalent Cu(II) atoms linked by four μ 2 -O,O′ carboxylate ligands in a centrosymmetric {Cu 2 O 10 } paddle-wheel building block. The structure of compound [CoL(dmso)] n (2) has a 3D metal–organic coordination lattice, in which the metal centers are connected by the linear organic ligand to generate a dense three-dimensional coordination polymer. Also, a three-dimensional coordination network was identified in the case of compound [Cd 2 L 2 (dmf)] n (3), whose structure is very similar to that of compound 2. In compound 3 , the carboxylate groups of the linear L2− spacers behave as μ 2 - κ3O, O′:O tridentate bridging ligands. The compounds have a high thermal stability. Polymers 3 and 1 have moderate porosity (specific surface areas of approximately 900 m2/g and 600 m2/g, respectively), while polymer 2 has a dense structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Deepwater wells have the basic conditions for the generation of trapped annular pressure caused by thermal expansion. Nitrogen is eligible medium to mitigate annular pressure for its high compressibility. Therefore, this paper studies the action mechanism, effect evaluation and applicability analysis of the mitigation by injecting nitrogen. To this end, an equation is established to calculate the annular pressure when nitrogen exists in annulus according to PVT property and volume relationship. And then a method is proposed to solve the equation based on volume segmentation and wellbore radial thermal resistance distribution. The casing strength is checked by safety efficient to verify the mitigation effect. The results indicate that nitrogen mitigates trapped annular pressure mainly by volume compensation. The mitigation is strong and effective. Considering mitigation effect and cost-effectiveness, the optimal injection volume should be between 5% and 15%. The nitrogen is suitable for mitigation of in deep/ultra-deep water wells although the increase of water depth undermines the mitigation effect. The mitigation is still effective even the annular liquid is of high expansibility and low compressibility when adequate nitrogen is injected. Strong mitigation effect can be obtained in high temperature reservoir and wells of high production rate. In conclusion, nitrogen has good applicability and strong effect in the mitigation of trapped annular pressure. • Nitrogen mitigates annular pressure by volume compensation. • A model built to calculate annular temperature and pressure. • Mitigation is strong and effective. • Nitrogen has good applicability to mitigate annular pressure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aluminum black dross (ABD) is a solid waste of aluminum smelting process that causes serious environmental and public health problems. In addition, it imposes significant disposal costs to the aluminum industry. In this study, synthesis and characterization of mesoporous alumina (MA) from the ABD using a novel recycling procedure consisting of leaching at low temperature (85 °C) and atmospheric pressure, co-precipitation, separation through selective dissolution, re-precipitation, aging and finally calcination at 600 °C for 2 h. No hard or soft template was used during the formation of the gel. The as-synthesized MA had a specific surface area, total pore volume and average pore diameter of 123–162 m2/g, 0.37 cm3/g and 10.6 nm, respectively which were obtained by nitrogen sorption analysis. The as-synthesized MA possessed more than 98% purity. Its XRD pattern exhibited the characteristic peaks of gamma, eta, theta, and delta phase alumina. FESEM and TEM analyses revealed nanoscale morphology of the as-synthesized MA; having crystal size of ∼11 nm. The TGA analysis showed that the as-synthesized MA is thermally stable and exhibits only ∼5 wt% mass loss for heating from 30 to 800 °C. The characterization of solid residue at the end of the proposed process proved that it contains mainly silica phase which can alternatively be reused as filling agent or aggregate in concrete materials applications. It is quite clear that the process of production of MA from the ABD is feasible and practical and provides a novel mitigation to the environmental problems of the ABD. • This work studies template-free synthesis of mesoporous alumina from Al black dross. • The as-synthesized mesoporous alumina had a specific surface area of 123–162 m2/g. • The specific pore volume of the as-synthesized mesoporous alumina was 0.37 cm3/g. • The as-synthesized mesoporous alumina possessed more than 98% purity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Synthesis and adsorption studies of the SBA-15 immobilizing perylene and pyrene dyes are described in this work. The functionalization is carried out with amine groups through post-synthesis using amino-propyl triethoxysilane (APTES) and ethanol or toluene as solvent. The resulting functionalized material is investigated as a matrix for the immobilization of perylene-3,4,9,10-tetracarboxylic dianhydride (PDA). Further exploration of the immobilization of 1-Pyrenecarboxaldehyde (PCA) is detailed. The obtained materials were characterized by FTIR and fluorescence spectroscopy, nitrogen adsorption analysis and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The textural characterization of the functionalized samples shows the decrement of the average pore sizes and the surface area as consequence of the APTES and fluorescent dyes immobilization. Compared with the pristine SBA-15, the solids obtained by functionalization with PDA yielded red-coloured samples, which show absorption bands at λ = 670 nm in solid state and λ = 570 nm in solution. The PDA dye is bonded to the SBA-15 network and it shows absorption or emissions properties for the new hybrid solids. The fluorescence of these species are preserved if the PDA molecules remains with a more flexible structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To solve the nitrate accumulation phenomenon in recirculating aquaculture system (RAS). This study aimed to provide a sufficient organic carbon source, denitrifying bacteria, and a suitable microenvironment for denitrification in RAS. Denitrifying capsules were prepared using the encapsulation method, the morphology, microbial community and influencing factors for nitrogen removal efficiency of the denitrifying capsules in synthetic RAS wastewater were investigated. The denitrifying capsules had a porous, rough, and loose structure, with a diameter of approximately 6 mm and a density of approximately 1.05 g per cubic centimeter. The effect of a low ratio of solid-to-liquid (10:1) and temperature (15 °C) on nitrate removal was significant during the initial acclimation period (1-10d). After the enclosed denitrifying bacteria activity was recovered, the influence was not significant. At the end of the test, the nitrate removal rate could reach more than 80% even at a lower ratio of solid-to-liquid (10:1) or at 15 °C. The capsule exhibited a short adaptation time for diverse types of substrates and adapted well to the substrate concentration. Under low influent nitrate or nitrite loading, the removal rate reached 80% on the 6th day, which was earlier than with high influent nitrate loading. The denitrification rate experiment showed that the nitrate removal rate could reach 80.14% at 14 h and finally stabilize at approximately 81.89%. The capsule-supported denitrification process was a zero-order reaction and the denitrification rate of the capsule was calculated to be 109.0 mg N/L-capsule·h. The longtime evaluation indicated that until the semen litchi powder was exhausted, the capsule could retain a high nitrate removal rate. Functional enzyme analysis reveals the nitrogen conversion pathway in the capsule included denitrification, dissimilatory nitrate reduction and nitrogenfixation. The porous structure and good adaptability to environmental conditions of the denitrifying capsule would help to achieve denitrification and reduce the nitrate content on the present RAS, without increasing infrastructure investment. • Core-shell structure denitrifying capsule was designed for denitrification in RAS. • The capsule adapted well to substrate concentrations and temperature. • Afther a short activation time the nitrate removal rate could reach 96.6%. • Denitrification prosess in RAS may achieve easily with the denitrifying capsule. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aerobic denitrification is a feasible and sustainable process for nitrogen removal in environmental protection. The C/N ratio was the vital one that has a significant impact on the performance. However, comprehension of the C/N ratio effect on this bioprocess was not well clarified. In this study, the response of an aerobic denitrifier (Pseudomonas balearica strain RAD-17) to the C/N ratio was investigated from a view of metabolism. It was found that a high total nitrogen (TN) removal efficiency of about 95% was achieved with the dosing C/N ratio of 7.5, while only a slight increase when the dosing C/N ratios were further increased to a high range of 10–30. The carbon validity was out of sync with TN removal and a balance between the two was realizable at a dosing C/N ratio of 7.5 based on the economic consideration. Moreover, weakened assimilation while enhanced respiration along with the increased C/N ratios was revealed, evidenced by the decreased net intracellular nitrogen and increased nitrogenous gas proportions in nitrogen balance analysis. The growth characteristics in terms of cell number and OD 600 showed a division for the high flux of nitrate and organics directed to assimilation and respiration, respectively. The expression levels of carbon and nitrate metabolism-related function genes in P. balearica supported the results above. The C/N ratio of 5.0–7.5 was supposed to be the turning region for the metabolism division between assimilation and respiration in aerobic denitrifying. The results are expected to offer a guideline for the decision made for organics supply for the aerobic denitrification process and support its sustainable application. [Display omitted] • C/N ratio of 7.5 was the threshold value to achieve TN removal of over 95%. • The carbon validity and nitrogen removal efficiency had an inverse relationship. • Nitrogen balance and growth property of P. balearica showed a metabolic division. • Expression levels of nitrate and carbon related functional genes were investigated. • Turning region of C/N ratio for microbial assimilation and respiration was 5.0–7.5. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Thermal degradation kinetics of biodegradable polymer blends was evaluated • Kissinger-Akahira-Sunose and Vyazovkin isoconversional methods were applied • The composition and morphology of the blends influenced their thermal behavior • The addition of nanochitin diminished the effective activation energy of the blends • Avrami-Erofeev function was the most probable kinetic mechanism of the systems studied In this article, the influence of blend ratio of plasticized poly(lactic acid)/poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) (PLA/PHB) and chitin nanoparticles (ChNP) nanocomposites on the thermal stability and degradation kinetics has been investigated using thermogravimetric analysis under nitrogen atmosphere at four different heating rates (i.e., 5, 15, 30, and 50°C/min). The derivative thermogravimetric curves have indicated single-step and two-step degradation processes for individual polymers and polymer blends, respectively. It suggests immiscibility or partial miscibility between the polymers. The degradation kinetic parameters were studied over the 30 – 500°C temperature range by using the Kissinger-Akahira-Sunose (KAS) and Vyazovkin isoconversional methods under non-isothermal conditions. The average values of the effective activation energies of the deconvoluted PHB and PLA peaks in the PLA:PHB 70:30 (B73) blends were higher than those of the pure polymers, while in the PLA:PHB 60:40 (B64) blends were lower, which was attributed to the different morphology of the blends. Furthermore, the effective activation energy of the nanocomposites diminished due to the catalyzing effect of the chitin nanoparticles. By means of the invariant kinetic parameters (IKP) method, it was possible to evaluate the preexponential factor and the activation energy of the blends without any assumptions concerning kinetic model. The invariant activation energies calculated were in accordance with the ones estimated by the isoconversional methods. Finally, Avrami-Erofeev function was determined as the most probable kinetic mechanism of the systems studied by applying the Sestak-Berggren equation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• An indoor artificial wind-driven rain experiment was performed. • The relationships between soil erosion, nitrogen loss and wind velocity on windward slopes were established. • The soil erosion and nitrogen loss processes under wind-driven rain were attempted to simulate by improved KINEROS2. Wind-driven rain (WDR) is a common source of soil erosion in nature and usually occurs on windward slopes. This study investigated the effects of WDR events at different wind velocities of 0, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8 m s−1 and rainfall intensities of 30, 60, 90 mm h−1 on runoff, sediment yield, and total nitrogen (TN) loss processes on windward slopes. Additionally, the study constructed quantitative relationships between TN loss rate and simultaneous runoff and sediment using indoor simulated WDR experiments. The distributed soil erosion model KINEROS2 was then modified to embedded with these relationships, and used to simulate and verify the runoff, sediment yield, and TN loss processes during WDR events on windward slopes. The results showed an initial substantial increase followed by a gradual stabilization trend in runoff rates, sediment yield loss rates, and sediment-associated TN loss rates on windward slopes. As wind velocity increased from 0 to 8 m s−1 under a rainfall intensity of 90 mm h−1, the average runoff rate, sediment yield rate, and sediment-associated TN loss rate decreased linearly by 4.30%–16.13%, 9.82%–34.44%, and 14.54–46.42%, respectively. However, runoff-associated TN loss rate increased in a linear trend of 26.49%–137.59%. Similar trends were observed at rainfall intensities of 30 and 60 mm h−1. When simulated using the KINEROS2 and nitrogen migration model embedded with mathematical relationships between wind velocity and soil erosion and TN loss on windward slopes, the NSE and R2 of runoff, sediment, and TN loss processes were 0.49–0.83 and 0.59–0.89, 0.21–0.82 and 0.42–0.88, and 0.21–0.73 and 0.38–0.83, respectively. This study provides insights into the effects of WDR events on TN loss at plot scale and offers guidance for KINEROS2 application under WDR conditions at different slope directions and watershed scales. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Naturally occurring carbon and nitrogen stable isotope ratios [13C/12C (CIR) and 15N/14N (NIR)] are promising dietary biomarkers. As these candidate biomarkers have long tissue residence times, long-term feeding studies are needed for their evaluation. Objective Our aim was to evaluate plasma, RBCs, and hair CIR and NIR as biomarkers of fish, meat, and sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) intake in a 12-wk dietary intervention. Methods Thirty-two men (aged 46.2 ± 10.5 y; BMI: 27.2 ± 4.0 kg/m2) underwent a 12-wk inpatient dietary intervention at the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) in Phoenix, Arizona. The effects of fish, meat, and SSB intake on CIR and NIR were evaluated using a balanced factorial design, with each intake factor at 2 levels (present/absent) in a common, background diet (50% carbohydrate, 30% fat, 20% protein). Fasting blood samples were taken biweekly from baseline, and hair samples were collected at baseline and postintervention. Data were analyzed using multivariable regression. Results The postintervention CIR of plasma was elevated when diets included meat (β = 0.89, 95% CI: 0.73,1.05) and SSBs (β = 0.48, 95% CI: 0.32, 0.64). The postintervention NIR of plasma was elevated when diets included fish (β = 0.85, 95% CI: 0.64, 1.05) and meat (β = 0.61, 95% CI: 0.42, 0.8). Results were similar for RBCs and hair. Postintervention RBC CIR and NIR had strong associations with baseline, suggesting that turnover to the intervention diets was incomplete after 12 wk. Estimates of isotopic turnover rate further confirmed incomplete turnover of RBCs. Conclusions CIR was associated with meat and SSBs, and more strongly with meat. NIR was associated with fish and meat, and more strongly with fish. Overall, CIR and NIR discriminated between dietary fish and meat, and to a lesser extent SSBs, indicating their potential utility as biomarkers of intake in US diets. Approaches to make these biomarkers more specific are needed. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT01237093. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Fertigation with treated wastewater can supplement N and P fertilisers in peri-urban agriculture. • Fertigation with treated wastewater increases soil inorganic N and P which may be taken up by plants or leached. • Irrigation scheduling reduces the risks of N and P leaching down the soil profile to groundwater resources. • Sustainable fertigation using DEWATS effluent needs monitoring for pathogens and trace elements accumulation. Abstract Municipalities in South Africa face problems in providing sanitation to unserved informal settlements in peri-urban areas and rural nodes. The Decentralised Wastewater Treatment System (DEWATS) connected to community ablution blocks can be an option, with the treated effluent then applied to agricultural land. However, the management of treated wastewater through irrigation of crops must be environmentally sustainable. This study therefore investigated nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) dynamics in soil irrigated with DEWATS effluent. A field study with banana and taro in a randomised complete block design with three blocks and two irrigation treatments (DEWATS effluent without fertiliser vs tap water + fertiliser) was carried out over a period of 992 days at the Newlands-Mashu Research Site, Durban, South Africa. Data were collected on crop N and P uptake, soil chemical properties, and nutrient leaching together with groundwater monitoring. Nitrogen and P uptake was not significantly different (p > 0.05) between the two irrigation treatments. Irrigation with DEWATS effluent increased soil N and P concentrations within the upper 0.3 m implying its importance as a fertiliser source. Leaching of N and P from DEWATS effluent treated plots was comparable to that from the tap water + fertiliser treatments. However, to manage excess water in the soil, practices such as irrigation to meet crop water requirements with room for rainfall and installation of subsurface drainage when possible can be employed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract To maintain the pressure of cargo tank and to minimize natural gas loss, two nitrogen expansion cycles for boil-off gas (BOG) re-liquefaction systems, specifically designed for small LNG ships are proposed and optimized: 1) Case 1, re-liquefaction process with the parallel nitrogen expansion, 2) Case 2, re-liquefaction process with the serial nitrogen expansion. The simulation and analysis of the two processes are carried out by using Aspen HYSYS and the genetic algorithms are selected as the optimization method. It can be found that the specific energy consumption (SEC) of 0.7333 kWh/kg LNG , the coefficient of performance (COP) of 0.2538 and the figure of merit (FOM) of 0.2827 are achieved in Case 1 and the SEC of 0.7539 kWh/kg LNG , the COP of 0.2464 and the FOM of 0.2757 are achieved in Case 2 by comparing the two optimized cases. Moreover, the total exergy losses for Case 1 and Case 2 are 153.34 kW and 160.69 kW, respectively. Highlights • Two BOG re-liquefaction systems designed for small LNG ships are proposed. • Genetic algorithm is selected as the optimization method for the two processes. • The SEC, COP and FOM of the two proposed systems are compared and analyzed. • The proposed systems and other systems are compared and analyzed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The microstructural evolution, strength, ductility change, and precipitates in the base metal and coarse-grain heat-affected zone (CGHAZ) of high nitrogen austenitic stainless steel with different thermal cycles were investigated. The research results indicate that the grain size of austenite and the precipitates reduced while the strength improved with increasing cooling rate. Furthermore, the shape and formation location of the precipitates that were proved to be M 23 C 6 and Cr 2 N by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) varied with the cooling rate. M 23 C 6 precipitated from the catenary to the round type and from the grain boundary to the grain interior with increasing cooling rate, causing the transformation of the fracture mode from an intergranular fracture to a transcrystalline fracture. Cr 2 N precipitated cellularly and was detrimental to the mechanical properties. The low cooling rate (<5 °C/s) deteriorated the strength and ductility owing to the mass of intermetallic compounds, while the properties of the simulated specimens above 5 °C/s were better than those of the base metal. However, the ductility was the best at 5 °C/s and the fracture surface consisted of many deep dimples. Meanwhile, the grains deformed and increased as the cooling rate changed from 1 °C/s to 30 °C/s according to electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD). Further, the results of Taylor factor are consistent with the variation in ductility. Highlights • The improved strengths are obtained with the increase of cooling rate. • Change of precipitates with cooling rate is quantitatively analyzed. • The mode between microstructure and mechanical property is established. • The fracture behavior and strengthening mechanism are studied. • Taylor factor can predict the change of the elongation and explained ductility change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Monolithic, nitrogen-doped carbon sorbents were prepared from resorcinol-urea-formaldehyde resins and physically activated with CO 2 for different activation times. The effect of the activation time on the water sorption behavior and the physicochemical properties were investigated. Longer activation times lead to a steeper slope of the water sorption isotherm and, due to a higher specific surface area and micropore volume, an increased water sorption capacity. It was found that, after physical activation for 3 h at 800 °C, the physically activated, nitrogen-doped carbon has a high surface area (>1000 m2/g) and a high water sorption capacity (50 wt%). In a miniaturized adsorption heat pump test stand, the best candidate material was assessed alongside commercial silica gel for reference. At a temperature swing from 90 °C → 50 °C, the CO 2 -activated carbon exhibits a maximal specific cooling power which is a factor of 1.7 higher in comparison with the reference silica gel (429 W/kg versus 255 W/kg). At a more applicable temperature swing, 60 °C → 30 °C, the CO 2 -activated carbon yields a specific cooling power 3.8 times higher than that of the silica gel reference (932 W/kg versus 240 W/kg). Graphical abstract Image 1 Highlights • Nitrogen-doped carbons were pyrolyzed in nitrogen and activated in carbon dioxide. • Longer activation times lead to a higher surface area and water sorption capacity. • Adsorbents were tested in a miniaturized adsorption heat pump test stand. • At a temperature swing, 60 °C.→ 30 °C, the carbon outperforms silica gel by a factor of 3.8 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphical abstract Highlights • Thousand-kernel weight increased with late harvest, increasing grain yield of summer maize. • Late harvest promoted N accumulation after tasseling and N translocation to grain. • N accumulation played a crucial role in the early and middle period, and N translocation did in the mid-late period. Abstract The farmers are accustomed to harvesting summer maize around September 20, but the maize has not yet reached physiological maturity in the Huang-Huai-Hai region, which is adverse for grain yield and mechanized harvest. In order to explore the effect of harvest date on grain yield and nitrogen utilization of summer maize, two treatment in 2016 (CK and 10d) and four treatments in 2017 (CK, 3d, 6d, 10d) were conducted. The sowing dates of all treatments were June 13, and the harvest dates of CK, 3d, 6d and 10d were September 20, 23, 26 and 30, respectively. We found that grain yield and thousand-kernel weight of 10d significantly increased by 17.4–19.8% and 16.8–19.6%, respectively, compared to CK. And partial factor productivity of nitrogen of 10d was 17.4–19.7% higher than that of CK. The grain nitrogen concentration of 3d, 6d and 10d increased by 5.4%, 9.0%, and 9.3–10.8% compared to CK, which promoted nitrogen harvest index, physiological nitrogen use efficiency and partial factor productivity of nitrogen. The reason why nitrogen utilization efficiency increased was that late harvest promoted nitrogen accumulation after tasseling and nitrogen translocation to grain. The nitrogen translocation of 6d was 10.0% in 2017 higher, and that of 10d was 25.1% in 2016 and 15.3% in 2017 higher, respectively, compared to CK. The nitrogen accumulation of 10d increased by 39.0% in 2016, and that of 3d, 6d and 10d increased by 46.5%, 51.3% and 57.3% in 2017, compared to CK. In conclusion, the thousand-kernel weight increased with the delay of harvest date, resulting in increases in grain yield of summer maize. The late harvest promoted nitrogen utilization efficiency resulting from higher nitrogen accumulation after tasseling and higher nitrogen translocation to grain. The contribution of nitrogen translocation to grain yield appeared in the mid-late period (September 23–30), while the contribution of nitrogen accumulation after tasseling did in the early and middle period (September 20–26). Considering annual production of winter wheat-summer maize, the optimized harvest date for summer maize is 6–10 days later than the conventional pattern in this study, that is the cumulative growing degree-days after tasseling reach 613.2–711.5 °C at least. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • InGaAsN/AlGaAs QWIPs for e-SWIR. • CBO values reaching up to ∼1 eV with GaAs technology. • Room temperature photocurrent response that spans between 1.1 and 2.2 μm. • Room temperature responsivity of 15 and 1 A/W for 1.65 μm and 2 μm, respectively. • Corresponding detectivity values of ∼1010 and ∼5 × 108 cm·Hz1/2/W at 1.65 μm and 2.0 μm, respectively. Potential detectivity values as high as ∼2 × 1012 and ∼1 × 1011 cm·Hz1/2/W for ∼1.65 μm and 2.0 μm, respectively can be achieved. Abstract We propose and demonstrate a novel concept to address high-performance, extended short wavelength (e-SWIR) photodetectors. Our approach is based on shifting the well-developed GaAs quantum-well infrared photodetector (QWIP) technology to e-SWIR wavelengths. In order to increase the available conduction band offsets (CBOs), we suggest incorporating nitrogen (N) atoms into the quantum well material. The incorporation of N atoms into III-Vs results in dilute-nitride highly mismatched alloys with lower bandgaps and higher CBOs. In our work, we demonstrate CBO values reaching up to ∼1 eV in InGaAsN/AlGaAs QWIPs. This large CBO makes these structures suitable for e-SWIR detection. The large CBO reduces the dark current dramatically and allows efficient detection at room temperature. In our study, we devised two similar InGaAsN/AlGaAs QWIP devices with twofold, 1% and 2% N composition. Based on the measured dark current data, we extracted activation energy barriers of 780 meV and 580 meV for the 1% and 2% N devices, respectively. The dark current and photocurrent spectral response behave in correlation to the change in the barriers' height. The photocurrent response of the 1% N device peaks at ∼2.25 μm and spans at a spectral range between 1.3 and 2.95 μm. The photocurrent response of the 2% N device is blue shifted to ∼1.42 μm and spans at a spectral range between 1.1 and 2.2 μm. The 2% N device exhibits lower dark currents and a strong photoresponse at room temperature, whereas the 1% N device exhibits a clear response only at temperatures below 150 K. The detection mechanism in the InGaAsN/AlGaAs QWIP devices is based on optical excitation of carriers from the quantum wells into highly-localized nitrogen-related E+ defect-like states located energetically above the conduction band edge. For this reason, the photoresponse is insensitive to the radiation polarization and exhibits low absorption efficiency on the order of 0.15% per quantum well. However, at the same time, the responsivity and photocurrent gain are very high due to the long lifetime of the highly localized excited states. The peak responsivity of the 2% N device is ∼70 A/W at room temperature. Significant responsivity is also available at the response tail at longer wavelengths, i.e., ∼15 and 1 A/W for 1.65 μm—the peak wavelength of the night glow emission and 2 μm—at the e-SWIR wavelengths, respectively. Corresponding detectivity values are ∼1010 and ∼5 × 108 cm·Hz1/2/W at 1.65 μm and 2.0 μm, respectively. These values are similar to those of other developing technologies. In-reach potential detectivity is estimated based on the measured data and can arrive easily to values as high as ∼2 × 1012 and ∼1 × 1011 cm·Hz1/2/W for ∼1.65 μm and 2.0 μm, respectively. The presented characteristics and potential performance indicate that InGaAsN/AlGaAs quantum wells are most suitable for efficient e-SWIR photodetection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]